Lighting fixture



P 3, 968 H. c. DEVINE, JR 3,379,872

LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Sept. 27, 1966 H C p 'INVEIEOR an/y ew/ie fl 1 33. 2. 1

United States Patent 3,379,872 LIGHTING FIXTURE Harry C. Devine, Jr., Kansas City, Mo., assignor to Devine Lighting Incorporated, Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed Sept. 27, 1966, Ser. No. 582,406 3 Claims. (Cl. 240-137) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A lighting fixture for supporting a hollow globe, the fixture having a base assembly extending through an opening into the globe and receiving a light bulb, the-re being an externally threaded element secured to the base assembly and an internally threaded ring threaded on the element, the ring having a collar and a shoulder which receive therebetween the lip of the opening to support the globe, and an escutcheon attached to the base assembly and covering the opening, the shoulder and a part of the outer surface of the globe.

This invention relates to lighting fixtures and, particularly, to structure for interconnecting bulb-receiving socket assemblies and decorative light distributing globes.

Globes for covering light bulbs provide light transmitting means for producing particular lighting effects such as softening the harsh glare of a naked bulb and directing light rays to properly distribute the latter. Furthermore, such globes are generally designed to coincide in overall appearance with the decor of the area of usage. As a result, the globes are of assorted sizes and shapes. Manifestly, the use of variously sized and shaped globes has created a need for universal structure which may be utilized with any such globe to adapt the latter to receive a socket assembly.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the instant invention to provide such universal structure included an internally threaded ring attached within the opening of the globe and an externally threaded element carried by the assembly whereby the threads of the ring and the element are intermeshed to permit expeditious assembly of the fixture and to facilitate cleaning and repair.

As a corollary to the foregoing object, a very important aim of the invention is the rovision of such a ring having a collar in the globe and an annular member located outside the globe for clamping the lip defining the opening in the globe therebetween so that the ring may be readily attached to the globe to adapt the latter for connection to the socket assembly.

A very important object of the present invention is to provide an escutcheon for covering such universal structure to the end that a decorative appearance is presented by the fixture.

Another very important object of the instant invention is the provision of such universal structure for coupling a globe of the type described with a socket assembly wherein is provided a shoulder on the internally threaded ring disposed for engaging the escutcheon carried by the assembly whereby the escutcheon is prevented from contacting and thereby unduly stressing the globe. In this respect, it is important to note that globes of the type used for lighting fixtures are gene-rally constructed of glass or other brittle material and, therefore, the bulb-receiving socket assembly and the globe must be interconnected without stressing the latter.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical perspective view of a lighting fixture embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevational view taken on line 3,379,872 Patented Apr. 23, 1968 22 of FIG. 1, shown partly in cross section with certain parts having been broken away for increased clarity; and FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the lighting fixture in perspective, the globe having been removed for clarity.

A lighting fixture embodying the principles and concepts of the instant invention is shown in FIG. 1 and broadly designated by the numeral 10. Fixture includes a spherical, hollow globe 12 having a planar, circular opening 14 therein. It is to be understood that while globe 12 is preferably spherical, the same may be provided in a variety of shapes well known to those skilled in the art without deviating from the inventive concepts of the instant invention. Likewise, the size of globe 12 is unimportant so long as the diameter thereof is large enough to accommodate the light bulb 16 mounted therein.

A base assembly 18 adapted for insertion through opening 14 has a bulb-receiving socket 20 on one end thereof as can be seen viewing FIG. 2. Base assembly 18 has an out-turned flange 22 disposed for carrying an escutcheon 24. It can be seen viewing FIGS. 2 and 3 that escutcheon 24 is configured as a portion of an imaginary hollow sphere to present a dish-shaped concave surface 26. Fixture 10 includes structure 28 for afiixing globe 12 to base assembly 18. Structure 28 includes an internally threaded ring 30 disposed within opening 14 and attached to the circular lip portion 32 of globe 12 and an externally threaded element 34 disposed within ring 30 with the threads of the latter intermeshed with the threads of the ring 30. Escutcheon 24 and element 34 are telescoped onto assembly 18 with escutcheon 24 clamped between element 34 and flange 22 by screws 36 as can be seen viewing FIG. 2.

Ring 30 includes a collar 38 disposed within globe 12 and a shoulder member 40 located on the outside of globe 12. Screw means 42 are provided for clamping member 40 and collar 38 together with lip 32 therebetween as can be seen viewing FIG. 2. Resilient gasket means 44 is carried by collar 38 adjacent lip 32 for protecting the latter against the clamping force created by means 42.

During the assembly of fixture 10, element 34 is threaded into ring 30 by rotation of assembly 18 until escutcheon 24 contacts shoulder member 40. Thus, the location of shoulder 40 prevents escutcheon 24 from bearing against the outer surface 46 of globe 12. Hence, it can be seen that globe 12, and in particular, lip 32 thereof, is

supported against lateral deformation and stressing thereof during assembly of fixture 10.

Collar 38 has flat surfaces 48 on opposite sides thereof. The dimension between surfaces 48 is less than the diameter of opening 14. Hence, collar 38 may be inserted through opening 14 and then positioned as indicated in FIG. 2. After collar 38 is in position, shoulder member 40 is clamped thereagainst with lip 32 therebetween by screw means 42 present-ing the ring 30 which serves not only for threadably receiving element 34, but also for supporting lip 32 during the assembly of fixture 10.

The novel structure of the instant invention provides a lighting fixture which is easily assembled and disassembled, is adapted for use with a plurality of variously sized and shaped globes, prevents the development of stresses in the globe during the assembly of the fixture, and presents a pleasing appearance after the same has been assembled. Thus, it can be seen that all of the objects, purposes and aims of the instant invention have been fulfilled in a substant-ial sense.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

'1. -A lighting fixture comprising: a hollow globe having an opening therein, there being a lip portion circumscribing said opening; a base assembly extending into the globe through said opening and having a bulb-receiving socket within the globe, there being a flange on said assembly exteriorly of said globe;

an escutcheon attached to the flange of said assembly across the opening exteriorly of the globe; and 5 structure releasably interconnecting the globe and said assembly, said structure including an externally screw-threaded element, said element being secured to said flange between the escutche'on and the socket and an internally screw-threaded ring, said ring being threaded onto said element, said ring comprising a collar engaging the inner surface of said lip portion and a shoulder member engaging the outer surface of said lip portion whereby to clamp said portion therebetween, said escutcheon covering said shoulder 15 member.

2. The invention of claim 1, said shoulder member be ing releasably attached to said ring.

4 3. The invention of claim 2 wherein said globe is substantially spherical and said opening is round, said es cutcheon being a portion of an imaginary hollow sphere and having a concave surface complemen'tally mated with the exterior of the globe, said es'cutcheon covering a part of the outer surface of the globe.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 964,519 7/1910 Hubbell 240-128 2,512,129 6/ 1950 Apple'by 240128 3,336,474 8/1967 Leibl 240128 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 764,849 3 1934 France.

NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner.

G. M. HOFFMAN, Assistant Examiner. 

